Ruffling Feathers
by BadOldWestern
Summary: Rose has hated Scorpious since the day they met. He doesn't quite feel that same way. This is how they go from hate to something very different indeed. M for later Chapters.
1. Chapter 1

"Rosie, why do you hate me so much?"

Her mind loses its grip on her next insult. Scorpius Malfoy looks at her expectantly. She glances around the library for any witnesses. There are none. It's too late at night for witnesses.

"What are you talking about? And don't call me Rosie." she hisses at him.

He grins easily. "Why do you always get so angry with me? I barely provoke you, and you go flying off the handle."

She bites her lip. She hadn't expected him to get so personal mid-argument. They were fighting like always, she couldn't exactly remember over what, but it was justified… or she thought so. Yes, it was definitely justified. What did he say that started this? Did it matter? He started it. He always started it.

"You started it." she blurts out defiantly.

He raises his eyebrows at her. "Did I?"

"Yes. You always start it. You get on my nerves. You're….impossible." she bites out the end, clenching her hands into fists.

He considers this.

"What did I say that offended you so much?"

"I don't…"

"I asked you how your potions essay was coming along." He raises his eyebrows. "I'm sorry if that was callous of me, I should have been more considerate."

She groans at this. Potions class was a particularly bad subject that she tried so hard to do well in. And it came so easily to him, which he liked to rub her nose in. He'd always offer to help out, and though she needed it, she could never get past the way he just marched up to her and acted like she desperately needed help. She glared at him.

"I'm stressed Malfoy, and I don't appreciate…"

"Do you hate me?" he cuts her off.

"What, no, I…"

"You act like you hate me. You've always acted like that."

"I have not."

"Ever since we were kids. I really wanted to be friends with you, and you wanted nothing to do with me."

"Well, you….look at you! You're so smug and arrogant, you're such a…"

"A what?"

She blushes down at the floor. "Nothing."

"No, say it. I mean, you've never held back on your opinion of me before." He's focused his full attention on her, and it makes her squirm. He's really listening. He's not airily fighting back, never letting her get the better of him. He's having and intent discussion, and it's making her nervous.

He annoyed her always. She wasn't sure why, but he got under her skin. She spent more time thinking about him than she would ever admit. It was like she pushed herself, that extra hour of studying, that tougher quidditch drill, as if she was _proving _something.

Not to herself. But to him.

She wasn't sure why. Not anymore. Because she wanted him to be devastated by his inferiority? He seemed unperturbed by being the runner-up. It had only really mattered to her.

She bites her lip. "I don't know why I hate you." she admits this, blushing the same shade as her red hair.

He closes his eyes. "I knew it."

"What?"

"You've hated me since the day we met, because I'm a Malfoy. For someone whose mother is all for equality, you're pretty backwards, Weasley."

"What? How dare you?" she stammers angrily.

"You were very quick to pass judgment on me because of a prejudice. You've never offered me kindness. You just hated me because of what your parents say."

"Of course they told me to steer clear of you, look at our families! Didn't your parents tell you to stay away from me?"

He loses her gaze, staring at the floor.

"No." he says quietly.

She blanches. "What?"

"No. My father told me you'd probably be clever, like your mother. That I'd have to compete with you for top grades. But never this. They never wanted me to hate you."

"Oh," is all she can say.

"I really wanted to be friends, but I guess you didn't want that so I annoyed you. I got that. But I'm not smug and I'm not arrogant. I keep to myself. Or at least, I try to."

He gives her a shy look, and she's surprised by how vulnerable he seems.

"I always thought you were really fascinating. You were smart and funny and well…everything around you seemed better. So I tried competing with you."

"You could have just talked to me…" she bites her lip. Instead he tried one-upping her. In all their classes, they nearly killed each other for the best grade. On the quidditch field, they came closer to killing each other. He dated all her friends. She flirted with all of his, but rejected them because she wanted to focus on her studies. He broke up with all her friends.

"I liked competing with you. It made me improve myself. It made the extra work _fun._" He says softly.

"I hardly see why all the effort was necessary, Malfoy."

He closes his eyes. "Scorpius. You've never called me Scorpius."

She shakes her head. "You never said anything. I didn't know."

"You never really cared to know. It's fine."

He packs up his books.

"I liked you Rose. Over all these years, I thought you were pretty and bright and different. But I give up. You clearly want nothing to do with me."

He leaves her standing alone in the library, head in her hand, feeling very small and foolish.


	2. Chapter 2

She glances up to see Scorpius in the seat next from her. He grins easily at her. She grimaces.

"Albus, be my seat partner." She hisses to her cousin, leaning back in the seat behind her.

"Can't. Promised Lenora I'd sit by her." he grins at this. His dark eyebrows shoot up suggestively, hidden by his wild bed-head. Of course her cousin would throw her aside for his newest conquest.

"You can't let me work with…."

But her professor claps his hands sharply, and instructs they turn to page 394 in their books.

Albus shoots Rose and apologetic look before turning to his new lady friend. The curvaceous blonde has already swiveled towards him, giggling brightly.

Scorpius considers her dark expression. "Let's be professional, Weasley." He says, quietly, with a hint of a smirk.

She grows flustered, flipping the pages of her book so indignantly she tears a page.

"Bollocks." She hisses out.

His wand, grasped in a steady hand, repairs the damage immediately. She shoots a pointed look at him. "I could have done that." She snaps.

He grins. "Why so tense, Rosie?"

She finds the correct page, and turns to their cauldron. "Don't call me that," she says coolly.

"You're blushing." He points out joyfully.

She shoots him a look that would evaporate dry ice. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't tell me you're upset about last night."

"Of all the nerve…" she glares at him, uncapping a vial dramatically and letting three drops of its contents fall, bursting into blue smoke.

"It's four drops."

She glares at him. "I knew that."

"Of course you did." he smiles.

It occurs to her, her distaste towards him. She felt bad enough about what occurred the night before, but here he was, mucking up any sympathy she had towards him.

"Why do you want to work with me?" she snaps.

"I like you." he shrugs.

"Yes, despite the fact you keep insisting I hate you." she shakes her head, bending over her book, pouring herself into it, pretending to read the instructions printed in it.

"Yes, well, hate is a strong emotion. You feel very passionately about me. And I think it's just trying to mask your unapologetic, animalistic desire towards me."

She gapes at him.

"That is not even close to the truth." She whispers at him coolly, raising an eyebrow.

He leans in. "I'm bad for you. You love it. Hate and love are two sides of the same coin; it's easy to go from one to the other."

She doesn't exactly register the joking undertones of his voice.

She pulls back, trying to keep her disposition aloof. "Bad for me? You're being ridiculous. Stop being so cocky."

He had to admit she was sexy when she turned up her nose to him. She went back to the assignment, acting as if he wasn't there.

She was angry, but glad that things were slightly back to normal, with their bickering and everything. She did not like how things ended in the library the night before.

"Don't do that." He warns, eyeing the vial poised in her hand to pour.

"What?" she glances at it. "It says to add it…"

"Not yet, you're missing…"

She ignores him and does just the opposite of his advice. With a yelp, the potion erupts dramatically.

She reels back, staring at the ruined potion in shock. She covers her face in her hands and groans. It takes a few breaths to quell her humiliation. His hand finds her shoulder, and she flinches.

"You feeling alright?" he says softly.

"Shut up." she whines, looking over her mess.

"Look, I…"

"Don't you dare tell me "I told you so" or I'll kill you." she hisses.

She isn't opening her eyes. He's wondering how long her self control is going to hold out before she starts yelling it at him. He braces himself for the yelling. But her shoulders sag hopelessly.

"I could have sworn I was actually getting it right this time," she says tiredly.

This wasn't what he was used to. He depended on her confidence and intelligence. She was steadfast and hardworking. It never occurred to him that is wasn't easy for her.

Her one hand falls to the table, fist clenching.

He slides a vial of what the finished potion is supposed to be under her palm.

"What are you-?"

"Just let me help, okay?" he glances up at the professor, who is distracted by another student's question at the moment. "And I can help you, you know, after class or whatever." He feels bad. He'd meant to push her buttons, sure, but not like this.

She glances at it suspiciously. "This better not be a trick."

"On my honor, it isn't."

"How did you manage to…?"

"I'm good at this." He grins down at the table.

"But you were arguing with me. I didn't even see you working."

"Maybe you weren't paying attention. Or maybe you only saw what you chose to see." He raises his eyebrows at her, letting his point sink in.

She rolls her eyes. "Fine."

She lifts the vial a little closer to her eyes. "Thank you," she says finally.

"No problem. Meet me in the library at eight." He's already gathering up his books. She nods slightly.

Albus clambers over, looking satisfied.

"I better not find you two in a broom closet while I'm on prefect duty." she warns, watching his pretty new friend retreat from class.

"You won't. Merlin, Rose, you are so old-fashioned. Snogging in broom closets? I'm a Potter, we have dignity."

"You have jam on your chin." She points out airily, and he wipes a hand over his face frantically.

"Why didn't you warn me?" he snaps.

She giggles. "You were too busy making me sit alone."

"How was Malfoy?" he asks sheepishly, remembering he sort of ditched her. "If it was bad, I'll sit with you the rest of the year, it was just this once, I promise."

"It's alright," she says quietly, handing in the vial Scorpius gave her. "He was…nice."


	3. Chapter 3

He's finished with his homework. It's 8:27. He packs up his book, keeping his movements small and precise. To his credit, he is only slightly fuming.

As he's pushing in his chair with a little more force than necessary, this is when she arrives. She's glowing, her cheeks pink from the cold that's still clinging to her skin. She's laughing, and her curls are somehow tighter and springier. And she's not alone.

Collin, some prat on her quidditch team, is with her, making her laugh, poking her side, listening to her delightful giggles. She has a very rich voice, and her laugh is dry and deep, the kind of laugh that peaked at this sort of silent gasp and worked its way back down.

"Malfoy." She nods to him. "We got caught up after practice. Lost track of time, you know." She waves her hands dismissively. 'Rose sits down and looks up at him, expecting him to sit down and start.

Her eyes are playful. She doesn't expect him to really care, to give her a hard time, and to slide into his seat. He regards her coldly.

"Some fair warning would have been nice," he says softly, and strides away from the table.

"What?" she jumps up. "Don't go, I'm sorry."

She strides after him until Collin catches her arm.

"I guess I'll see you around then, babe," he grins at her.

She considers his face. He was funny enough, cute, but far to hands-y, and already trying to pin her down and take up her time. She pursed her lips.

"Do not call me Babe. See you at practice" She says, and follows Scorpius out the doors.

"Look, I said I was sorry," she calls after him, and her annoyance rings through the empty halls.

He keeps walking.

"I don't see why you have to be so cross with me." She continues, almost catching up with him.

"I know it was inconsiderate, but it was an honest mistake. Collin wouldn't tell me the time until a few minutes ago. I had no idea I was late. I hurried over."

She grabs his shoulder. "Malfoy, would you listen to me."

He spins around, quickly, so they face each other. She stumbles back a bit, not expecting him to stop. The expression in his eyes makes her shiver.

She bites her lip nervously, her glowing blue eyes staring up at him. He's breathing heavily.

"I guess I overreacted."

"To be honest, I'm surprised you waited this long. I probably wouldn't have."

He shuts his eyes at this, looking pained.

"What I mean is, I'm a bitch, so I'd have run off. Not because of you specifically…well maybe. I didn't think you'd stick around for me. You didn't have to. It was nice of you." she stares at the green-and-silver stripe of his tie. "Thank you," she says finally, "For waiting."

His mouth twists a little bit into a sheepish grimace. He shrugs.

"You're not a bitch." He says softly. "And you're right, I overreacted."

She smiles at him. "Not the first time, and certainly not the last. But I am a bitch; that you cannot argue with."

He shakes his head firmly. "You're not a bitch."

She smiles, and she's so much prettier when she does so. "Well, I've heard it enough times to know. I'm not really looking to change anything right now, so…might as well embrace it." she shrugs.

He laughs vaguely, but his eyes say he wants to disagree but doesn't want to fight.

"I guess you act like a bitch sometimes. But you're not a bitch."

"There's a difference?" she raises her eyebrows at him.

"Yes, a bitch is always a bitch. You just have bitchy tendencies that are justified, but it's not your entire personality."

She nods at this thoughtfully. "I like that. I'm going to use that."

She picks a piece of lint off his shoulder that's been bothering her for the past few minutes. "I'm sorry I so deeply wounded your pride. Can we start studying though? I actually want to do well in this class."

He grins at her. "Well, you happen to have the best tutor in the school, Weasley."

"Prove it, Malfoy."


	4. Chapter 4

He's considering her.

That his only way to describe it, stepping back and taking in all he can. So as she studies the textbook in front of her, he studies the constellation of freckles on her collarbone and the length of her eyelashes. He's in a state of full observation. The curve of her lips. Her left eyebrow, the way it moves as she reads. The way the light catches her cheekbone.

"I think I'm finally getting this," she says softly.

"You're actually quite pretty." He answers.

Her head snaps up at him. "W-what?"

He smirks. "Well don't get all shy now, Rosie."

She turns a page with a little more force than necessary. "I hate that name."

He gives her a look that is nothing shy of making her feel that his eyes are invading her. "Don't take it out on the book, love."

She looks down to see she's gripping the text so tightly her hands are shaking.

Rose closes her eyes and takes a deep breath through her nose, to clear her head. He's annoying her, that's it. That's why she feels so frustrated. Yes, he's annoying her. Of course.

"So, what exactly do you see in old Collin?"

"What's it to you?" she mutters, going back to the page before her.

He shrugs. "I guess I don't like you with him."

"Too bad that's not up to you."

He chuckles at this, shaking his head. "I'm just saying, you could do better. Objectively speaking."

Rose shakes her head, rolling her eyes. "Yeah, more like, your 'objective' speaking," she mutters.

"What was that?" he grins at her, laughing a little. He's regarding her as something cute and it makes her want to hurt him.

"Oh, shut it." she snaps, looking at the random symbols she assumes were once letters on the page. She can't quite read anymore, her mind is racing. Is he flirting? Is this another joke to him? She doesn't want either one to be entirely true. Maybe one. She doesn't admit it to herself but…

He smoothes a hand over her back. "Always so tense," he muses, digging his fingers into locked-up muscles on her shoulders.

Her shoulders slump at this. She leans back into his hand. She can't believe she's trusting him like this, letting him touch her…but it feels nice.

"You work too hard," he reminds her, and she glances sideways at him after this.

"I work hard because I happen to care." She points out flatly.

"You care a great deal," his hands slides down her lower back, "you probably care more than anyone else in this bloody world."

"Scorpius, what are you doing?" she leans her head on her hand, elbow on the table, turned towards him. She's opened up her body to his, to face him.

His hand settles on her knee, and she doesn't shrug it off. Maybe his words from the night before have stirred sympathy in her heart. Maybe she's tired of fighting. Maybe she's curious.

His damned fingers slide to the back of her knee. It tickles, and she watches his hand with a look of jaded, tired confusion.

"Maybe I don't like Collin, because I'm protective of you."

Her legs part a little, without her knowing.

"Why are you protective of me?" she stares at his neck. His pale skin. His Adam's apple as he swallows thickly.

"Because I've always felt like what we had…whatever it was…made you special to me. And no one could fuck with you. No one could argue with you, or insult you, because I was different. If it came from me, I knew you could take it. I knew you well enough. And now that it's established I don't hate you. I guess I don't like anyone _fucking_ you for the same reasons."

"We've been bitter rivals since we were kids, Malfoy, don't get all sentimental." She grits out, trying to make the feelings he's making her have go away. Cursing the nerves on her leg for singing. "And what am I supposed to do, if you think every guy I want is unworthy to you?"

"You want him."

The demanding tone of his statement, poised more as a question, brings her eyes up to his. His are silver and biting into her, seeking the truth.

"No, I don't think so. But that's none of your concern."

He slides his hand up further.

"I'd like it to be."

"Isn't that something left up to me?"

He nods, his fingers crawling up further still, well past the middle of her thigh. Her leg twitches. She stares him straight in the eyes. She doesn't push away, or tell him to stop. She nods back.

Her chair is at an angle to his, and he grabs one of the legs of the chair with his free hand and drags it closer to his. She jumps at the sudden shift, with him so close and so warm and they're so alone and together.

She bites her lip. "Why are you doing this?"

His hand shifts and he cups her, and she shudders and cries out slightly.

"You seem to want it. And just look at you."

He does, and she watches his eyes as they rake over the undone buttons around her neck and her shaking thighs and heaving chest and shiny eyes. They plead with him; her pupils fat and lashes fluttering.

He wiggles a finger where it is slightly, and she gasps again, pushing her hips against his hand. She's desperate for friction and force. She's never wanted anything so desperately, not like this.

His slides his middle finger over her knickers, up and down her slit. The fabric rubs her and waves of shivers find her. She grips the chair and bites her lip, blushing furiously.

"So lovely." He murmurs, and kisses her cheek softly. She stares into his eyes, begging beyond anything he's every seen before.

He finds her clit, and rubs over the soft cotton. She gasps louder, letting out a high pitched moan. She's surprised by the pleasure he gives her.

He rubs slowly, and her inexperienced hips buck and grind, trying to satisfy herself furiously.

His free arm wraps around her waist, his lips finding her ear. He nips the lobe gently. His breath brushes her ear perfectly.

She whimpers for release, and he's only kind enough to pick up the pace a little bit, rubbing circles into her knickers until he feels the dampness soaking through the material. He kisses under her ear.

"You do realize you're very precious to me. It took me a while to figure out that I wanted you, Weasley, because you wouldn't just come to me. I had to work for you."

She blushes, because she knows at that moment, how much he didn't work for this.

But he's doing something particularly nice to her neck, so she forgets why that's a bad thing.

His thumb moves to take the place of his pointer finger, and he presses down to rub faster, fervent circles until her toes curl in her shoes and she moans and cries out and grinds his hand. Her lips form a perfect "O" shape and her eyes widen, and her voice gives out and she comes undone.

He watches her orgasm with a bemused expression. She covers her mouth with her hands and tries to steady her breathing. She can't believe what they just did. She gapes at him.

"Try to get Collin to do that to you, it won't be the same."

He smirks, leaning back in his chair. She suddenly feels ridiculous, with her legs spread wide and covered in a layer of sweat.

"You arrogant bastard." She snaps.

He shrugs.

She tries to straighten herself up, smacking her book closed. She packs up and storms out. He watches her leave somberly, brushing himself off.

As she races down the halls, teary-eyed, she realizes he didn't have the decency to kiss her first beforehand. She curses herself for thinking that, of all things, before anything else.

_A/N Hey guys1 How are you liking the story so far? I love this couple. A lot of potential sexiness. I'm not sure how my interpretation of Rose is coming out. I like her, and she does soften a bit eventually, so bear with me. Please review, let me know what you think!_


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